'It's not against the laws' - 7-1 row explodes as ex-coach brands tactic immoral

Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber has once again defended his use of the controversial 7-1 split at his latest press conference, as critics brand the tactic as potentially dangerous.

Nienaber once again rolled out the 7-1 split for South Africa’s crunch match with Ireland in Pool B, an unorthodox ratio that is a world away from the average 5-3 forwards versus back split that most international sides plump for.

The Leinster-bound Springboks boss insists there is nothing illegal about the risky innovation, despite the whinging of some critics.

Former Scotland coach turned pundit Matt Williams has gone as far as branding the move as borderline immoral, suggesting it could put players in danger.

“Is it legal? Yes. Is it smart rugby for the World Cup? I’ve got to say yes. Is it good tactics? Yes. But it is not morally correct?” asked Williams on a Virgin Media podcast. “What I’m saying is that if lower levels of the game copy the Springboks, and they will, there are props and second rowers playing in lower levels of the game. If they are fatigued and the opposition bring on seven fresh forwards and they go for a scrum later on in the game knowing they could get a penalty and win the game, those guys’ spines are in danger.

“I will not be quiet, because I’ve seen it. All of us that have seen it first hand have a responsibility to remind the next generation to not go back there.”

Nienber batted away any suggestions that the decision was anything but an innovation within the rules of the game.

“I think if there is innovation in any sport it gets reaction, positive or negative. This is obviously unique, it is the first time a team has named seven forwards and one back on the bench so that is why I would say it’s innovation. That will get reaction. In terms of player safety, I don’t get that. I know nothing stops anyone else doing it and it will be a sad day, I think, if you’re innovative in the laws of the game and then they would change that.

“It’s not against the laws of the game and I don’t think it has any bearing on player safety at all.”

Nienaber was also quizzed on which he picked first, his bench or his starting fifteen.

“That’s a tough one,” said Nienaber. “In our team, because I don’t know other teams, our bench isn’t necessarily what I would call a bench. Sometimes people get an idea that if you are on the bench you are probably not as good as the guy who starts. But like we have said numerous times, with the team and squad we have here that is not necessarily the case.

“I won’t say we start with the bench, we select 23. I know it is probably a cliché but that is genuinely how we do it. They are selected for specific reasons.

“This is an important game and we all know when we came into this pool, everyone knew this would be a tough pool to get out of. From the first game against Scotland there was massive pressure and then Romania and now Ireland and then there is still Tonga.

“A win for us or for them will put you in a good position to get out of the pool and that is why there is pressure. But that was there when the World Cup started. So it doesn’t actually change for us personally because the pressure was set, we said we are playing knock-out rugby from game one. Nothing has changed from game one.”